Gloria Audrey (Kittelson) Christenson, 87, passed away August 17, 2016, at the Golden Living Nursing Home in Benson, Minnesota.

A memorial service will be held Sunday, August 28, 2 p.m. at Jevnaker Lutheran Church, rural Montevideo, Minnesota.

Gloria Kittelson was born February 18, 1929, on the family farm north of Montevideo in Mandt Township. She was one of five children born to the marriage of Willie and Della (Christenson) Kittelson. She was baptized and confirmed at Jevnaker Lutheran Church.

Childhood days were spent attending country school and working on the family farm. Gloria attended school in rural District 64 (north of Montevideo) through the 8th grade, and then continued to work on the farm.

December 14, 1946, she married Edgar Christenson at the church parsonage in Big Bend, Minnesota. From their union, three children were born; Deborah, David and Jana. Edgar and Gloria farmed south of Benson, Minnesota until 1971, when they moved into town. In addition to being a housewife and homemaker, Gloria was employed during her life at Fingerhut Manufacturing, Meadow Lane Nursing Home and the Swift County Benson Hospital, retiring from the hospital in 1994. Following retirement, Gloria (along with her twin sister Grace) did domestic housekeeping in several Benson homes until well into her seventies. Gloria and Edgar moved into Benson in 1971 and in their later years, enjoyed winters in Yuma, Arizona. For many years, she was the chief caregiver to her husband following his stroke, and when her husband moved into the nursing home she was there daily, missing only three days total in over three years.

Gloria enjoyed making all things beautiful. This included craftwork of all kinds, sewing, quilting and gardening - especially loving her flower pots. She loved all her grandchildren and great grandchildren and loved spending time with them and had a special attachment to her great grand puppy – Berkley!